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Is Skyworks' Stock Cheap by the Numbers?

Let's take a look.

Numbers can lie -- but they're the best first step in determining whether a stock is a buy. In this series, we use some carefully chosen metrics to size up a stock's true value based on the following clues:

The current price multiples.

The consistency of past earnings and cash flow.

How much growth we can expect.

Let's see what those numbers can tell us about how expensive or cheap Skyworks Solutions(Nasdaq: SWKS) might be.

The current price multiplesFirst, we'll look at most investors' favorite metric: the P/E ratio. It divides the company's share price by its earnings per share -- the lower, the better.

Then, we'll take things up a notch with a more advanced metric: enterprise value to unlevered free cash flow. This divides the company's enterprise value (basically, its market cap plus its debt, minus its cash) by its unlevered free cash flow (its free cash flow, adding back the interest payments on its debt). Like the P/E, the lower this number is, the better.

Analysts argue about which is more important -- earnings or cash flow. Who cares? A good buy ideally has low multiples on both.

Skyworks has a P/E ratio of 30.2 and an EV/FCF ratio of 36.4 over the trailing 12 months. If we stretch and compare current valuations to the five-year averages for earnings and free cash flow, Skyworks has a P/E ratio of 69.6 and a five-year EV/FCF ratio of 47.8.

A positive one-year ratio under 10 for both metrics is ideal. For a five-year metric, under 20 is ideal.

Skyworks is zero for four on hitting the ideal targets, but let's see how it compares against some competitors and industry mates.

Company

1-Year P/E

1-Year EV/FCF

5-Year P/E

5-Year EV/FCF

Skyworks

30.2

36.4

69.6

47.8

Analog Devices(NYSE: ADI)

14.4

10.5

20.2

15.5

Hittite Microwave(Nasdaq: HITT)

25.6

25.5

36.4

33.1

Linear Technology(Nasdaq: LLTC)

15.0

13.1

19.3

15.8

Source: Capital IQ, a division of Standard & Poor's.

Numerically, we've seen how Skyworks' valuation rates on both an absolute and relative basis. Next, let's examine ...

The consistency of past earnings and cash flowAn ideal company will be consistently strong in its earnings and cash flow generation.

In the past five years, Skyworks' net income margin has ranged from -10.4% to 14.6%. In that same time frame, unlevered free cash flow margin has ranged from -1.6% to 18.8%.

How do those figures compare with those of the company's peers? See for yourself:

Additionally, over the last five years, Skyworks has tallied up four years of positive earnings and four years of positive free cash flow.

Next, let's figure out ...

How much growth we can expectAnalysts tend to comically overstate their five-year growth estimates. If you accept them at face value, you willoverpay for stocks. But while you should definitely take the analysts' prognostications with a grain of salt, they can still provide a useful starting point when compared to similar numbers from a company's closest rivals.

Let's start by seeing what this company's done over the past five years. In that time period, Skyworks has put up past EPS growth rates of 55.6%. Meanwhile, Wall Street's analysts expect future growth rates of 16.5%.

Here's how Skyworks compares to its peers for trailing five-year growth:

The bottom lineThe pile of numbers we've plowed through has shown us the price multiples shares of Skyworks are trading at, the volatility of its operational performance, and what kind of growth profile it has -- both on an absolute and a relative basis.

The more consistent a company's performance has been and the more growth we can expect, the more we should be willing to pay. We've gone well beyond looking at a 30.2 P/E ratio, and we see that Skyworks' high multiples are supported by high growth the last few years, but these initial numbers are just a start. If you find Skyworks' numbers or its story compelling, don't stop. Continue your due diligence process until you're confident one way or the other. You can start with this recent news. You can also add Skyworks to My Watchlist to find all of our Fo olish analysis.